Per the notice below, the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is highlighting a significant reduction in opioid prescribing in New York State.

New York State Department of Health Acknowledges Prescribers In New York for Reducing New High-risk Exposures to Opioid Prescriptions

Data to Action Report Shows Prescribers are Making Strides in Reducing Risks for Overdose and Substance Use Disorder

Number of Opioid Prescriptions Filled Reduced by 42.1 Percent From 2013 to 2022

The New York State Department of Health has released a new data report showing opioid prescribing practices are improving in New York State.  The Data to Action Report on Opioid Prescribing in New York State shows that New York State providers continue to make strides in practice improvements and implementing new preventive measures to reduce the risks of overdose and substance use disorder within their communities.

"It is encouraging to see this positive trend of decreased prescribing for prescription opioids.  Often, pain can be treated with anti-inflammatories or other modalities without the risk of dependence on a prescription medication," State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said.  "Opioid use disorder is a public health crisis that requires a collaborative approach to solve. I thank our dedicated medical professionals who prescribe judiciously and balance risk and benefit for their patients."

Overuse and overprescribing of opioids beginning in the 1990s contributed to their misuse and abuse and has had a significant impact on the current state of the opioid crisis today.  Historically, overdose deaths involving opioids in New York State reached an all-time high in 2022 with 5,388 opioid-related overdose deaths that year.  Data outlined in the report shows opioid prescribing practices are improving in New York State.  The number of filled opioid prescriptions declined from more than 9 million in 2013 to under 6 million in 2022—a 42.1 percent decrease over 10 years.  From 2013 to 2022, the age adjusted rate per 1,000 population of opioid prescriptions decreased from 460.3 to 240.8.  Reductions were observed in both New York City and New York State outside of New York City.  More work still needs to be done.  Data found that in 2022, the prescribing rate was twice as high outside of New York City compared to New York City (303.1 per 1,000 versus 152.1 per 1,000, respectively).  State and federal regulators have employed various strategies to address the opioid crisis.  In New York, efforts have included laws to improve monitoring and control of opioid prescriptions.  These strategies include, but are not limited to the following requirements:

• Consulting the New York State Prescription Monitoring Program Registry before prescribing any schedule II, III, or IV controlled substance.
• Mandate for electronic prescribing.
• Limits on initial opioid prescriptions for acute pain.
• Required written treatment plans for long-term chronic pain opioid use.
• Mandate for annual prescribing an opioid antagonist when certain risk factors are present.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Clinical Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain issued in 2022, emphasizes reducing risks by promoting nonpharmacologic and nonopioid therapies, prescribing the lowest effective opioid dose and duration, weighing risks and benefits, using immediate-release opioids, and reviewing patient history for opioid use, as well as misuse.  These guidelines were supported by studies indicating that in primary care patients who were prescribed between a 4- and 7-day supply of an opioid analgesic, fewer than one in five required additional opioid prescriptions after completion of the supply provided with the initial fill.  Successful legislation within New York State helped reduce overprescribing of opioids.  New legislation limiting the initial opioid prescribing to a 7-day supply for acute pain was enacted in July 2016.  Following this, the number of episodes when an opioid-naïve patient (a patient that has not received an opioid prescription in the last 45 days) received more than a 7-day supply of an opioid from the initial prescription reduced 74 percent from 2016 to 2022 (974,577 episodes to 255,984, respectively).  The New York State Department of Health offers an Opioid Overdose Prevention Program.  A life-saving law took effect on April 1, 2006, making it legal in New York State for non-medical persons to administer naloxone to another individual to prevent an opioid overdose from becoming fatal.  All registered opioid overdose programs are furnished naloxone (Narcan) by the State Department of Health.  Registration for these programs has continued to grow.  As of June 2024, there are over 1,200 registered programs across New York State with over 5,000 affiliate sites.  For more information on our Opioid Overdose Prevention Program, please visit the Department's dedicated website here.